Hey guys! I know, I know. It's been a couple days. But I still think seven chapters in ten days is pretty impressive. This is probably the last chapter I'll get finished before we move this weekend, so I hope you all enjoy it. I have at a minimum three more chapters for this story (maybe four, depending on how I feel about writing some more really sappy chapters lol). It'll be all over soon, and in some ways I am happy about it. Anyways... I'll save my emotions for the last author's note. I hope you all like this chapter. :)

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"You pray all their lives that someday they will find happiness. Then they do." ~Then They Do, Trace Adkins

          And it was just the beginning.

            A year and a half had passed since that fateful day on the beach, and every day had brought her another adventure with Artemis. Every day had made her love him even more and the little family they had created. Nothing made her happier than seeing Artemis and Scorpius spending time together. Her son was just over two and half years old now, and it was scary how quickly he was growing up. Artemis had taken him out for the day with his father and brothers, leaving Audrey at the manor with his mother, Angeline, for a rare girls' day.

            The two of them were enjoying a strangely warm and dry day for Ireland outside in the garden, seated at a small table nested between some of the flowers. Both had a book in their hands, and had been reading for quite some time. It had been a while since Audrey had found time to read a book other than a children's book, and it was incredibly refreshing.

            Audrey's reading was interrupted when she heard Angeline sigh. She looked up to see her boyfriend's mother setting her book down on the table that was between them. Angeline caught her gaze, and spoke.

            "Is it okay if I talk to you about some things?" she asked.

            Audrey nodded, unsure of where this was going. She placed a bookmark in her book and sat it down. "Of course you can," she responded. "What's on your mind?"

            "Well, it's about Artemis," the older woman started.

            Audrey frowned slightly, definitely confused now. "Alright... what is it?"

            "You don't have to sound so unsure, love," Angeline promised, pushing some of her hair back with her fingers. "All I have to say is positive, and I've been wanting to talk to you about it for some time now. Just haven't had the time until now."

            That made Audrey feel a little better, but she was still anxious about what it was. She hadn't had many heart-to-heart conversations with Angeline, surely not as many as she had had with Narcissa, who was off visiting family somewhere. Audrey took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever it was that she was going to say.

            "Well... mostly, I want to thank you," Angeline began.

            "For what exactly?" Audrey asked, confusion still apparent.

            "Before you came into Artemis' life, he was so... glum, and I was afraid he was going to be like that for the rest of his life," she explained. "Ever since the incident, he hadn't been himself. My son was always intelligent and motivated to be the best in everything he did... and that all changed. He had these episodes of depression, and he seemingly had given up all his academic and career-focused endeavors." She paused for a moment. "And then Draco started coming around, and with that, so did you. Of course, then I would've never imagined you would end up romantically involved with Artemis. But it was around then I started to see some of the Artemis I knew come back. This is the first time in his entire twenty-one years that he has been truly happy, and it's all thanks to you."

            Audrey nodded. She remembered how Artemis was when they met. She saw one of those episodes for herself soon after Draco had passed, and of course a few smaller ones since. It killed her to know how troubled he had been, but she was determined to see him through all his problems. Those bouts were few and far between these days, and Audrey was hoping it was because of all the effort she put into making sure he was okay.

            "I try my best," Audrey answered. "Honestly, I have a lot to thank him for myself. He's kept me sane and happy throughout all the chaos the last three years or so has brought. Dunno what I would do without him, really."

            Angeline smiled. "I know this isn't exactly the life either of you planned, but what you have created together is absolutely wonderful," she continued. Her gaze shifted towards the ground. "I know it's certainly more than I imagined."

            "What do you mean by that?" Audrey questioned.

            "Well... all parents dream about what their children's futures will be like; I'm sure you are optimistic about what Scorpius will do as he gets older," Angeline explained. "Artemis... I've never known what to hope for or expect out of him. He's always been... unpredictable." She sighed, and looked back to Audrey. "I suppose some background would help, huh?"

            Honestly, there was still a lot Audrey didn't really know about Artemis, a lot of things that just hadn't been brought up or just never seemed important. "I'm always interested to hear more about him," she answered. "As his mother, I'm sure there's a lot you could tell me."

            Angeline nodded. "Oh definitely," she assured. "But... I guess today I'll stick to the more personal and less comical details." She shifted in her chair. "Right from the very beginning, I knew he was going to be special. I had been told it was likely I wouldn't be able to have children, obviously now with the three boys we can see how wrong the doctors were. I had come to terms with that when I found out I was pregnant with Artemis. Just when everything seemed like it was going okay, I had him prematurely. Looking at him now, you wouldn't know how small he was, or how much he had struggled. For a while, his father and I didn't expect him to survive."

            That was the first Audrey had heard any of that, and she thought she saw what Angeline was getting at. "Because of that, you didn't immediately have hopes for him, other than to make it," she responded quietly.

            Angeline nodded. "And once he did, Artemis immediately wasn't like a normal child. His intelligence skyrocketed, and so did his ambitions. He wanted to be the greatest, and he was... well, apart from athletics. I was sure he was going to go on to do great things." She paused again to take a sip from a cup of tea on the table. "And then of course, the accident happened. It wasn't just hard on him; his father and I lost him for six months. As a parent, I know I don't have to explain to you the horrors of losing a child. And as overjoyed as I was when he came back, I knew he wasn't the same Artemis, as you know. At that point, all I could hope for was that one day he would be back to his old self, and be happy once again. And today, he is- thanks to you."

            A large smile formed on Audrey's face, and she was sure she was blushing. It was one of the nicest things someone had ever said to her. "You don't have to thank me," she replied. "Seeing Artemis at his best... that's enough for me. There's not a day that goes by that he doesn't amaze me."

            Her boyfriend's mother smiled gently back at her. "It seems like only yesterday Artemis was a child. Honestly, even now it's hard to imagine him as an adult, with a wonderful woman in his life, and a child." She paused for a moment, contemplating her next words carefully. "You know... It hurt that my brother would murder his own son; leaving you and Scorpius in its wake. But it's been so great having you in this family. I know the circumstances that brought you here are a bit unusual, but, in some sense, I wouldn't change them if I could," she stated. "You've been the best thing that could've happened to Artemis, and I mean that completely. I know he feels the same way, because he plans on-" She quickly placed a hand over her mouth, silencing herself. "Oops. I've said too much."

            Audrey raised an eyebrow curiously. What was Artemis planning? She was sure she would figure it out sooner or later, but she decided to say nothing more on the matter. "I'm really glad to be a part of the family too. I'm so happy you, Senior, and the twins have accepted me," she said back. "Artemis... he's a godsend, and having him in my life has made things so much better."

            "Again, I know he feels exactly the same," Angeline replied knowingly.

            Audrey grinned, picking her book up again, and decided to change the topic. "Do you think the boys are all having fun?"

            The older woman laughed. "If I know my family, I would dare say they're probably out plotting world domination as we speak. Especially Artemis and his father. They're so much alike it's almost scary."

            There was some truth in that statement, and it made Audrey shake her head and laugh. "It's never a dull day in this family," she added.

            "Oh love, you're only just seeing a glimpse of what it's like," Angeline replied, a smirk on her face. "If there is one thing those boys are good at, it's getting in trouble."

            "I can only hope I can see more of their troublemaking as time goes on," Audrey said.

            "Oh, I'm sure you will, love."

            Audrey continued to smile as she opened her book and resumed reading. Angeline knew something she didn't, and while it was unnerving, it didn't completely bother Audrey. Whatever it was, it sounded like it was probably a good thing, so she was just going to wait and see if the future revealed it to her. In the meantime, she was going to continue enjoying the nice weather and good company.